Well thank goodness for that. Was beginning to have a high-anxiety feeling that Royal Mail's next-day stamp printing setup to commemorate Team GB gold medal winners wouldn't actually be required. The stamp printing presses (at a secret location, but very definitely in the UK) are probably rolling as I type, with a freshly-minted design featuring rowers Heather Stanning and Helen Glover. Hoorah! By the end of the day it's possible that more printing plates will be required, too. Let's hope so. These stamps will be among the tangible Olympics memorabilia that people will collect and treasure. My colleagues over at Haymarket Network are currently engaged in the task of a lifetime producing some other items of this ilk, namely the souvenir and daily programmes for London 2012. How nice it is to finally be able to give a shout-out to the gallant printers too, namely: Wyndeham Group, Polestar, Stephens & George, and Acorn Web Offset. My favourite quote of the week comes from Haymarket Network project director Cormac Bourne: "The power of print shines through when you’re actually at the event… It gives people their souvenir and their 'I was there' proof." Hear, hear with [harmonically tuned] bells on. I'm thinking of using it as my new email sign-off. Can't see anyone treasuring a London 2012 email or text, can you?
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